Looking for a research or creative scholarship mentor?
The researchers on this page are actively looking for undergraduates to join their academic efforts. This is not an exhaustive list of opportunities. If you don't see anything that fits your goals, contact us to find out what other opportunities await!
MENTORS: Click to post a research position.
How do SSRI's Interact with Maternal Physiology and Offspring Neurodevelopment?Santillan LabWe are looking for an undergraduate or post-graduate volunteer laboratory intern to help complete projects related to the prenatal and gestational impacts of SSRI use. Students will be exposed to a variety of wet lab and in silico techniques, including but not limited to evaluating maternal care and depression-like behaviors in mice, brain and placenta dissections and microdissections, animal necropsy, working with clinical samples (human placenta, maternal plasma, cord blood), and molecular techniques (qPCR, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, metabolomics). Students will have opportunities for data analysis, manuscript writing, and presenting. The Santillan Lab is a welcoming, positive environment that encourages creativity, teamwork, and scientific development! Past lab members have gone on to graduate school, medical school, nursing school, dental school, and related training programs. |
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How to apply |
Contact: serena-gumusoglu@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation |
(Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours)
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Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Developing novel rare cancer models of neuroendocrine tumors, pediatric cancer, and pancreas cancer.Surgical Oncology LaboratoryWe are seeking highly motivated students interested in learning basic and translation science to develop new cancer models and understand tumor metabolism. We highly welcome students interested in pursuing an Honors project on Independent Research or students interested in working as a research assistant during their postbac gap year to apply. Students will be trained to perform drug screening, immuno-fluorescent staining, protein engineering, etc. |
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How to apply |
Please send your CV to Dr. Po Ear (pohien-ear@uiowa.edu) |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation |
Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition) |
Hours per week |
6 or more hours per week |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Listing Period | Through June 2024 |
Learning-Based High-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance ImagingMultiparametric Quantitative MRI GroupStudents are expected to code/run deep learning algorithms to solve specific problems in biomedical imaging. |
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How to apply |
Please contact Xi Peng at xi-peng@uiowa.edu with CV/resume, interest, and transcript |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation |
Volunteer Academic Credit |
Hours per week |
10 Hours/Week |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Listing Period | Through Fall 2024 |
Brain Mechanisms of Learning and MemoryNeuroscience of Learning and Memory LabWe conduct research on the brain mechanisms underlying learning and memory in humans, rats, and mice. Our experiments involve cutting-edge neuroscience techniques to study how information is learned and stored in the brain. |
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How to apply |
Please contact John Freeman at john-freeman@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation |
Volunteer Academic Credit |
Hours per week |
10 Hours/Week |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Listing Period | Until December 15, 2023 |
Gastroenterology research about muscle layer and mucosaKurahashi Lab, Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyUnder the guidance of Dr. Kurahashi, a distinguished physician-scientist in the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology who joined the University of Iowa in 2021, we invite passionate undergraduates to delve into groundbreaking Gastroenterology research. Our team is committed to advancing our understanding of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, specifically focusing on its muscle layer and mucosa. Our ultimate aim is to translate our foundational scientific discoveries into clinical studies, paving the way for innovative treatments for GI diseases. |
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How to apply |
Please email your CV/resume to masaaki-kurahashi@uiowa.edu. Include a brief statement detailing your enthusiasm for our lab and Gastroenterology research, and provide a list of relevant courses and respective grades. |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation |
Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours) |
Hours per week |
Minimum of 10 hours weekly |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position. |
Outcomes Research, Health Service & Policy, Biostatistics and Causal InferenceThe Tanaka LabWe welcome applications from undergraduate students at the University of Iowa who are interested in project-based biostatistics. |
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How to apply | Interested students email tomohiro-tanaka@uiowa.edu. |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Academic Credit (1-4 S.H.) |
Hours per week |
5+ hours/week |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Neural Mechanisms Underlying Motivated BehaviorsThe Flippo LabWe are looking for undergraduates interested in neuroscience research investigating how the brain influences reward seeking and fear behaviors. |
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How to apply | Please send a resume and a brief description of your research interests to kyle-flippo@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Academic Credit (1-4 S.H.) |
Hours per week |
8 hrs/week |
Mitochondria in cardiovascular diseaseGrumbach Lab, cardiovascular diseaseWe study mitochondria and their role in cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis and small blood vessel disease). We are particularly interested how diabetes and cancer therapies damage mitochondria and hoe this leads to cardiovascular disease. We mostly use cells and mice for our studies, we also do some work in patients. |
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How to apply | Interested students should send their resume to olha-koval@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 S.H.) |
Hours per week |
10 |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Listing Period | Until December 1, 2023 |
Human Brain Research and TechnologiesIowa NeuroBank Core, Iowa Neuroscience InstituteThis position offers hands-on experience and research skills by working with a human brain bank and associated technologies. You will assist with administrative tasks, research biospecimen collection, microscopic imaging, preparation of reagents and material, analysis of human specimens, and assisting the outreach events and workshops. Must be a current senior with a major in neuroscience, biology, or human physiology. More information. |
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How to apply | Email Queena Lin, li-chun-lin@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate; Near future |
Compensation | Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 S.H.), to be determined |
Hours per week |
10 |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Listing Period | Until March, 30, 2024 |
Human rights in Culture, Religion, Politics, and LawSouaiaia Lab, Religious StudiesHuman rights in Culture, Religion, Politics, and Law; Media Narratives on Armed Conflicts; integrating research materials and primary sources into teaching and mentoring. The research project is interdisciplinary requiring the use of many tools and skills, including large data analysis, digital content creation, preliminary research answering specific research questions, and integration of digital content in classroom teaching. Students with any related skills and interests are encouraged to inquire. More information. |
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How to apply | Email Dr. Souaiaia, ahmed-souaiaia@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate; Near future |
Compensation | Pay, $15/hr |
Hours per week |
8-16 |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Physiology of ion transporting epitheliaThornell Lab, Internal MedicineProjects within the Thornell Laboratory in Internal Medicine are captured by the question “How do the different kinds of cells work together in an epithelium to orchestrate ion transport?”. More information |
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How to apply | Email Dr. Thornell: ian-thornell@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate; Near future |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit |
Hours per week |
8-16 |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Understanding novel genes in cardiac and neurological systems and diseaseBoudreau Lab, Internal MedicineThe Boudreau Lab is working to discover new genes that regulate healthy heart and brain functions. We are looking for energetic students who are interested in learning advanced techniques to help us with general lab duties. More information |
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How to apply | Email letter of interest, resume and schedule to Ryan Boudreau at ryan-boudreau@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate; Summer semester |
Compensation | Pay |
Hours per week |
~20 |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Listing Period | Until December 31, 2023 |
Genetic regulation of endoderm developmentLin Lab, Anatomy and Cell BiologyThe goal of our laboratory's research is to understand the genetic regulation of endoderm development, which is a germ layer critical for craniofacial structures and the digestive system. We use zebrafish as the animal model. More information |
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How to apply | Send applications to Dr. Fang Lin. |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit; TBD |
Hours per week |
8-15 |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Cystic fibrosis - pathologies and therapeuticsEngelhardt Lab, Anatomy and Cell BiologyThe Engelhardt Lab focuses on cystic fibrosis disease pathologies and the development of novel therapeutics developed in both industry and academic settings. More information |
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How to apply | Send resume/CV including relevant classes to Shahab-Fakhari@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit; Pay |
Hours per week |
8-20 |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Diabetes & Peripheral Arterial DiseaseDokun Lab, Endocrinology, Internal MedicineDr. Dokun’s lab focuses on understanding how genetic factors and the metabolic abnormalities associated with diabetes contribute to vascular diseases such as peripheral artery disease (PAD). All undergraduate volunteers will be involved in on going research projects. More information |
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How to apply | See "More Information" |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit; Pay |
Hours per week |
10-15 hours/week |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Listing Period | Until September 2023 |
Neurobiology of alcohol dependence and neurodegenerationAlcohol and Neurodegeneration Lab, Neuroscience and PharmacologyOur group is focused on understanding the molecular and circuit adaptations following alcohol abuse and chronic stress that predispose to psychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative disease and infectious disease. More information |
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How to apply | See "More Information" |
Start Date | Immediate; Near Future; TBD |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit; Pay; TBD |
Hours per week |
10-14 |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Central nervous system control of metabolic homeostasis and sleep-wake behaviorCui Lab, Neuroscience and PharmacologyResearch projects in our lab aim to uncover the complex brain networks and signaling mechanisms that control metabolic homeostasis and sleep-wake behavior using mouse as a model organism. More information |
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How to apply | See "More Information" |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit; Pay |
Hours per week |
10-15 |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Neurocognitive basis of parent-child interactions and child developmentDevelopment, Experience and Neurocognition Lab, Psychological and Brain SciencesResearch assistants will have the opportunity to assist with various lab procedures (e.g., collecting data during child lab visits, data management, and video coding of parent–child interactions). More information |
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How to apply | See "More Information" |
Start Date | Near future |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit |
Hours per week |
10 |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Cognitive control and action selectionAction, Cognition, & Learning Lab, Psychological and Brain SciencesThe research assistants will be invited to participate in all aspects of psychological research relating to the organization of voluntary action. We are primarily interested in how individuals select their responses as they perform one or more tasks. More information |
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How to apply | Contact Professor Hazeltine |
Start Date | Spring semester |
Compensation | Academic Credit |
Hours per week |
6-9 |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Analysis of environmental contaminants in biological samplesLehmler Lab, Occupational and Environmental HealthWe are looking for student research assistants who would like to investigate the role of persistent organic pollutants in adverse health effects. The research project is located on the UI Research Park and involves the analysis of environmental contaminants in biological samples using state-of-the-art analytical tools. More information |
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How to apply | Email Dr. Xueshu Li: see "More Information" |
Start Date | Immediate; Near future |
Compensation | Academic Credit; Pay |
Hours per week |
10 -20 during the academic year; up to 40 during summer, at least one 8-6 hour day |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Development of behavior problems and positive adjustment in childrenDevelopmental Psychopathology LabThe Developmental Psychopathology Lab conducts research to understand how children develop behavior problems as well as positive adjustment. More information |
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How to apply | See "More Information" |
Start Date | Spring semester; Summer semester; Fall semester |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit |
Hours per week |
10 |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Natural disasters, disaster migration, and violent conflict internationallyThe Disasters, Migration, and Violence Lab, Political ScienceInterested in natural disasters, environmental migration, and conflict? The Disasters, Migration, and Violence (DMV) Lab seeks students interested in learning more about the research process in a hands-on, collaborative social science research group experience. More information |
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How to apply | See "More Information" |
Start Date | Immediate Near future |
Compensation | Academic Credit; Pay; To be determined |
Hours per week |
5-10hrs |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Cognitive NeuroscienceWessel Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, NeuroscienceUndergrad Research Assistants will run Cognitive Neuroscience tasks with EEG and TMS neuroimaging techniques. No lab experience required. More Information |
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How to apply | See "More Information" |
Start Date | Spring semester; Summer semester; To be determined |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit; To be determined |
Hours per week |
10 |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Dietary and lifestyle approaches to improving quality of life in Multiple SclerosisWahls Lab, Internal MedicineThe Wahls Research lab is interested in the relationship between diet quality and clinical outcomes. Motor function is assessed using timed walk and hand function tests. Vision function, quality of life and blood biomarkers are also assessed. The study Efficacy of Diet on Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis is a five year study, completing in 2027. More information |
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How to apply | Email Mary Ehlinger via ehlingerma@healthcare.uiowa.edu with a cover letter expressing your interests and qualifications, a resume and an unofficial transcript. |
Start Date | Immediate Near future |
Compensation | Volunteer (Optional 0-credit hour course for transcript recognition) Academic Credit (1-4 semester hours) Pay is available in addition to volunteer hours |
Hours per week |
At least 10 hours a week with blocks of time of 3-4+ hours, 2-3 days a week, Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30 pm. |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Uterine endometrial cancer: Molecular mechanisms, targeted therapyYang Lab, PathologyUterine endometrial cancer incidence (~65,950 new cases/year) and deaths (~12,550 deaths/year) are on the rise. To help endometrial cancer patients and cure endometrial cancer, we need understand the characteristics of this disease. More information |
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How to apply | See "More Information" |
Start Date | Immediate; Near future; Fall semester; Spring semester |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic Credit |
Hours per week |
10+, blocks of 4 hours or more |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Sleep disturbance in psychiatric disordersNeurodevelopment and Psychopathology Lab, Psychological and Brain SciencesOur focus is on defining the physiological features of sleep disturbances in psychiatric disorders, investigating their relations with symptoms and cognitive deficits, and examining the neural circuitry involved in these sleep deficits. More information. |
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How to apply | See "More Information". |
Start Date | Immediate; Summer semester; Fall semester |
Compensation | Volunteer |
Hours per week |
10 |
Timeline | Ongoing or potential to be continuous position |
Social-Emotional Development from Infancy to AdolescenceChild LabWe study children’s social-emotional development from infancy to adolescence. Students in this lab have the opportunity to work on a longitudinal study to help collect data during laboratory sessions, code behavioral data from videos, and perform preliminary data management. |
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How to apply | Click HERE to fill out interest form. |
Start Date | Spring semester; Near future; Fall semester; Summer semester |
Compensation | Volunteer; Academic credit |
Hours per week | 9 |
Timeline |
Ongoing or potential to be a continuous position |
Gene Regulatory EvolutionGene Regulatory Evolution (GRE) Lab, Department of BiologyEvolution of stress response gene regulation in pathogenic yeasts |
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How to apply | Email Dr. Bin He @ bin-he@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Fall 2023 Semester |
Compensation | Pay |
Hours per week |
2-3 hours per week |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Effect of facemasks on jaw muscle tensionRobotics & Assistive Devices (RAD) LabNerves send signals to our muscles telling them to contract. Sensors like EMG electrodes attached to the skin can read some of these electrical. Our lab is using EMG to study if wearing facemasks effects jaw muscle tension. We are looking for help in collecting the data and analyzing it (using MATLAB) in this human subject study. Join to learn about human research, sensors, and data analysis techniques in biomechanics research! |
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How to apply | Email resume to Dr. Deema Totah (deema-totah@uiowa.edu) |
Start Date | Immediate or Fall 2023 Semester |
Compensation | Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours), Pay |
Hours per week |
Flexible (~20-40hrs in summer, ~5-20hrs fall or spring) |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Molecular basis and gene therapy of cystic fibrosisEngelhardt Research Lab, Anatomy and Cell Biologyhttps://engelhardt.lab.uiowa.edu/ |
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How to apply | Email weihong-zhou@uiowa.edu with interest to schedule an interview |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Pay |
Hours per week |
20 hours per week |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Discovery of mechanisms of atherosclerosis regression and identification of RNA Aptamers that bind to specific cardiovascular tissuesPereira LabThe Pereira lab studies the role of mitochondrial dynamics and stress response pathways in cardiometabolic health. |
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How to apply | Email jennifer-streeter-1@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Pay |
Hours per week |
10+ hours per week |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Obesity, Diabetes, and CVDYang Lab, Anatomy and Cell BiologyOur research aims to identify the molecular components of integration between organelle stress responses that are in play in obesity and diabetes at the cellular and organismic levels. |
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How to apply | Email Dr. Ling Yang @ ling-yang@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Pay |
Hours per week |
flexible |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of Obesity/DiabetesYang Lab, Anatomy and Cell BiologyOur research aims to identify the molecular components of integration between organelle stress responses that are in play in obesity and diabetes at the cellular and organismic levels. |
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How to apply | Email Dr. Ling Yang @ ling-yang@uiowa.edu |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Pay |
Hours per week |
flexible |
Timeline | Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position |
Gut Microbiome Interbacterial InteractionsBosch Lab, Department of PathologyThe Bosch lab studies how bacteria interact in the gut microbiome in healthy people, and in the context of gastrointestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Our long term goal is to identify and target interbacterial responses important for human disease. We apply a broad range of techniques including metagenomic sequencing, proteomics, bacteriology, genetics, and structural biology. Please see our website for details and ongoing projects. |
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How to apply | Send e-mail to dustin-bosch@uiowa.edu with CV. |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation |
Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition) |
Hours per week |
At least 10 hours per week |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Mechanisms by ion channels and transporters mediate transport of ions across cellular membranesChowdhury Lab, Department of Molecular Physiology and BiophysicsThe Chowdhury Lab is interested in understanding how ions and small molecules are transported across the oily cellular membranes. Such processes are not only critical for cellular survival, they underlie the electrical activity of neurons, cardiac myocytes etc. The lab specializes in membrane protein biochemistry and biophysics and uses multi-disciplinary approaches to determine atomic resolution snapshots of protein complexes, mediating these transport processes, at different stages of their function. The long term objective is to stitch these snapshots together to create "movies" of the millisecond dynamics of the proteins to explain how genetic mutations in these proteins lead to pathologies and how small molecule modulators may be used to correct the aberrant dynamics of these proteins. |
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How to apply | Please email Dr. Chowdhury at sandipan-chowdhury@uiowa.edu. |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition) Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours) |
Hours per week |
Minimum 10 hours per week |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Listing Period | Open until December 15, 2023 |
Intestinal immune responses, graft-versus-host disease and the graft-versus-tumor effectInce Lab, Department of Internal MedicineWe are open to applications from undergraduate students at the University of Iowa, who are interested in learning basic immunology and participate in our studies on immune regulation of graft-versus-host disease and the graft-versus-tumor effect in preclinical bone marrow transplant models. Bone marrow transplantation is mostly performed to treat a hematological malignancy, such as leukemia or myeloma. Transplantation procedure from donor to recipients also includes transfer of peripheral blood donor lymphocytes, which are critical to maintaining the anti-tumor response (the graft-versus-tumor effect) to prevent the regrowth of leukemia or myeloma. Same donor lymphocytes cause a lethal disease, called the graft-versus-host disease. Our laboratory investigates immune regulatory pathways that play a role in suppressing or preventing the graft-versus-host disease but still preserve the graft-versus-tumor effect. We look forward to working with motivated undergraduate students and prepare them to the next level in their career. |
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How to apply | Please email M. Nedim Ince at m-nedim-ince@uiowa.edu and include your CV, a short personal statement (maximum 10 sentences) giving details about your past research experience, courses you took and why you are interested in this position. |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation | Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours) |
Hours per week |
15-20 hours per week |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Apply by | September 15, 2023 |
Understanding the roles of epigenetic changes in breast cancer initiation, progression, and resistance to therapiesYi Huang Lab, Department of Internal MedicineThe ongoing project in Huang lab is to elucidate how overexpression of histone demethylase LSD1 leads to aggressive phenotype of TNBC and how targeting LSD1 with novel inhibitors overcomes tumor resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapies. We are also studying whether targeting crosstalk between epigenetic modulators and immune compartments could serve as a novel therapeutic approach for poorly immune responsive breast cancer. |
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How to apply | Send the inquiry and application to PI's email: yi-huang@uiowa.edu. |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation |
Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours) |
Hours per week |
10-15 hours per week |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position |
Experimental fluid dynamics, Naval hydrodynamics, Flow diagnosisWang LabFor undergraduate students who are interested in experimental fluid dynamics, there are several on-going research projects. |
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How to apply |
Email Dr. Cong Wang directly with the title "UI undergraduate research in Wang lab" |
Start Date | Immediate |
Compensation |
Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours), Pay |
Hours per week |
At least 10 hours per week, up to 40 hours in the summer. |
Timeline | Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position. |